Friction shock absorbing mechanism



Nov. 13, 1951 A. E. DENTLER 2,574,629

FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Fild Aug. 12, 1946 2 SHEETSSHEET 1(III i i v 4 B fl Inventor flrnoutEDentla' NOV. 13, 1951 Q DENTLER2,574,629

FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 12, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2iwwp/ A Patented Nov. 13, 1951 FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM ArnoldE. Dentler, La Grange, Ill., assignor to hicago, 111., a corporation W.H. Miner, Inc., C

of Delaware Application August 12, 1946, Serial No. 689,943

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbingmechanisms.

One object of the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbingmechanism comprising relatively movable friction elements, the movementof which is yieldingly opposed by a pair of cushioning elements, eachcomprising a plurality of rubber mats or pads, wherein one of saidelements is of lesser capacity than the other to provide for softinitial action during compression of the mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a mechanism of thecharacter indicated, wherein the rubber cushioning elements are composedof a plurality of rubber pads or mats and spacing members alternatedwith the mats of each element, and wherein the two elements areseparated by follower means which has its movement restricted to protectthe cushioning element of lesser capacity from being overloaded.

, Astill further object of the invention is to provide .a rubbercushioning element composed of rubber mats or pads and spacing membersalternated with said mats or pads, wherein the spacing members haveperipheral flanges overhanging the mats to protect the same againstdamage.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter following.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved shock absorbing mechanism andcooperating main followers of a railway draft rigging. Figure 2 is ahorizontal, longitudinal sectional view, corresponding substantially tothe line 2-2 of Figure 3. Figure 3 is a front elevational view of Figure1, looking toward the right in said figure. Figures 4 and 5 aretransverse, vertical sectional views, corresponding respectively to thelines 4-4 and 55 of Figure 2. Figure 6 is a view, similar to Figure 2,showing the mechanism fully compressed. Figure 7 is a plan View of oneof the spacing members of my improved mechanism. Figure .8 is an edgeelevational view of Figure 7, looking toward the left in said figure.Figure 9 is a plan View of another spacing memben' Figure 10 is an edgeelevational view of Figure 9, looking toward the left in said figure.

My improved friction shock absorbing mechanism proper is mounted betweenthe usual center or draft sills of a railway car and cooperates with theusual front and rear main followers, which followers are indicated by IHIll in Figures 1 and 6 of the drawings.

My improved friction shock absorbing mechanism, as shown in thedrawings, comprises broadlya friction casing A; three friction shoesBw-BwB; a wedge block C; front and rear cushioning elements D and E; anda retainer bolt F.

The friction casing A is in the form of a tubular casting of hexagonal,transverse cross section, open at its front end and closed at its rearend by a transverse, vertical wall I I. At the forward or open endthereof, the casing is provided with three rearwardly, or inwardlyconverging, interior friction surfaces I2I2--I2 of V-shaped, transversecross section. A central, hollow boss i3 is provided interiorly of thecasing A at the rear end thereof. The boss I3 projects from the innerside of the end Wall I I.

The friction shoes B-B--B are arranged symmetrically about the central,longitudinal axis of the mechanism, each shoe having a V-shaped, outerfriction surface I4 engaging the corresponding V-shaped friction surfaceI2 of the casing. Each shoe has a wedge face If) on the inner sidethereof.

The wedge block C, which is centrally disposed, has three inwardlyconverging wedge faces I6I6-I6 engaging the wedge faces I5I5I5 of therespective shoes BB-B.

The cushioning element D comprises a plurality of ring-shaped,washerlike rubber mats II arranged in series. A spacing member I8 isinterposed between the two adjacent mats at the rear end of thecushioning element D, and a plurality of spacing members is arealternated with the remaining mats. All of these spacing members are ofwasher-like form having central openings '20. The spacing member I8 hasforwardly and rearwardly projecting, peripheral flanges 2| and 22, theseflanges being formed by slitting the outer edge of the member andbending adjacent sections alternately forwardly and rearwardly. Eachside of the washer is thus provided with an interrupted flange composedof a plurality of spaced sections. Each spacing member I9 has acontinuous, peripheral flange 23. The flanges 2I, 22, and 23 of thespacing members I8 and I9 extend at acute angles to the flat bodyportions of said members and overhang the adjacent rubber mats toprotect the same from damage. As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the flanges23 of the members i9 all face in the same direction, that is, toward thefront of the mechanism. A relatively heavy follower plate 24 in the formof a washer is interposed between the front end of the element D and thefriction shoes B-BB and bears on the outermost mat of the element D andthe inner ends of the shoes. The rubber mats H are preferably secured tothe spacing members by being vulcanized thereto.

The cushioning element E comprises a plurality of rubber mats 25 ofWasherlike form, similar to the mats ll hereinbefore described, with theexception that the central openings thereof are larger, the same beingof such a size as to loosely accommodate the boss I3 of the casing A.The rubber mats 25 are separated by spacing members Zliand 27, onemember 26 and two members 21-2! being employed. The member 26 is similarto the member If! hereinbefore described and the members 27 are similarto the members I9, with the exception that the central openings thereofare larger, being of a size to freely accommodate the boss 13. Awasherlike follower member 28, similar to the follower member 24, isinterposed between the cushioning elements D and E and anotherwasherlike follower member 29 is interposed between the end wall H ofthe casing A and the cushioning element E. The follower 29 is similar tothe followers 24 and 28 with the exception that the central opening isof a size to accommodate the boss 13. As will be evident, the cushioningelement E is of lesser capacity than the element D, the individual matsof the former containing less rubber than those of the latter.

The mechanism is held assembled by the retainer bolt P, which extendsthrough the wedge C, followers 24 and 28, and the mats and spacingmembers of the elements D and E, having its head, which is at the rearend thereof, seated in the hollow boss l3 of the casing, and the nut,which is at the front end thereof, seated in a pocket 30 provided in thewedge block C. The bolt F, in addition to holding the parts assembled,limits the expansion of the mechanism and maintains the cushioningelements under slight initial compression.

The normal full release position of the mechanism is shown in Figure 2.In this position of the parts, the follower 28 is spaced forwardly fromthe inner end of the boss [3 to provide for sufficient movement duringoperation of the mechanism to effect compression of the rear cushioningelement E during part of the compression stroke.

The operation of my improved friction shock absorbing mechanism is asfollows: Upon relative movement of the main followers ll0 toward eachother in either buff or draft action, the mechanism is compressedtherebetween, forcing the wedge and friction shoes inwardly of thecasing, along the friction surfaces thereof, against the resistance ofthe cushioning elements D and E, thereby providing the requiredfrictional resistance to absorb shocks. During the first part of thecompression stroke, the rubber element E, due to its lower capacity;will be compressed to a greater extent than the element D, therebyproducing soft initial action. Compression of the element E continuesuntil limited by the follower 28 coming into engagement with the boss13. During further compression of the mechanism, the element D only iscompressed, thereby providing the desired high frictional capacityrequired during the last part of the compression stroke. Compression ofthe mechanism is positively limited by engagement of the front followerI0 with the front end of the casing, as shown in Figure 6, thuspreventing undue compression of the cushioning elements to protect thesame against overloading and consequent damage.

When the actuating force is reduced, the expansive action of thecushioning elements D and E, returns all of the parts to the normal fullrelease position shown in Figure 2, outward movement of the wedge beingarrested by the retainer bolt F.

Iclaim:

1. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with afriction casing; of a friction clutch slidingly telescoped within theeasing; front and rear cushioning elements within said casing yieldinglyopposing inward movement of the clutch, said rear element being oflesser capacity than said front element; a follower movable with respectto the casing and interposed between said elements for transmitting thepressure from said front to said rear element; and stop means on thecasing engageable by said follower for limiting inward movement thereofafter the mechanism has been compressed to a predetermined extent, lessthan the full compression stroke thereof, to arrest compression of saidrear element during the remainder of the compression stroke.

2. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with afriction casing; of a friction clutch slidingly telescoped within theeasing; front and rear, rubber cushioning elements within said casingyieldingly opposing inward movement of the clutch, said rear elementbeing of lesser capacity than said front element; a follower movablewith respect to the casing and interposed between said elements fortransmitting the pressure from said front to said rear element; and stopmeans on the casing engageable by said follower for limiting inwardmovement thereof after the mechanism has been compressed to apredetermined extent, less than the full compression stroke thereof, toarrest compression of said rear element during the remainder of thecompression stroke.

3. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with afriction casing open at one end and closed at the other end by atransverse wall; of an inwardly projecting stop member on saidtransverse Wall; a friction clutch slidingly telescoped within thecasing; front and rear cushioning elements within said casing yieldinglyopposing inward movement of said clutch, said rear element being oflesser capacity than said front element; and a follower movable withrespect to the casing and interposed between said elements fortransmitting the pressure from said front to said rear element, saidstop member being engageable by said follower for limiting inwardmovement thereof after the mechanism has been compressed to apredetermined extent less than the full compression stroke of themechanism to arrest compression of said rear element during theremainder of the compression stroke.

ARNOLD E. DENTLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 485,553 Marriott Nov. 1, 18921,096,120 OConnor May 12, 1914 1,122,940 Johnson Dec. 29, 1914 1,251,089OConnor Dec. 25, 1917 1,700,229 Lounsbury Jan. 29, 1929 1,972,041Emerson et al. Aug. 28, 1934 2,039,759 Webb May 5, 1936 2,187,156Johnson Jan. 16, 1940 2,230,029 Eaton Jan. 28, 1941 2,260,532 LindemanOct. 28, 1941 2,430,494 Dath Nov. 11, 1947 2,430,505 Haseltine Nov. 11,1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 428,966 Great Britain May 22,1935 ..587,498 Germany -1 Nov. 3, 1933 733,478 France July 11, 1932

